1. Technical Field
The invention relates to the field of interactive voice response systems, and more particularly, to enabling interactive voice response systems to receive a variety of different forms of user input.
2. Description of the Related Art
Interactive voice response (IVR) units are used to automate call access to various application programs, database driven-applications, and information servers. For example, IVR units typically provide users with access to financial institutions, directory services, call center forwarding, and other selective information lookup services such as access to movie schedules and the like. IVR units can accept dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) input, also referred to as touch tone input. Received DTMF input then can be translated to a data event which triggers a decision as to the proper response for the received user input. For example, the IVR unit can provide responses in the form of voice, facsimile, callback, electronic mail, as well as call processing information for directing a telephony switch as to how to handle a particular telephone call.
In an effort to provide callers with more flexibility in dealing with automated call access systems, many IVR providers are incorporating voice recognition functions within their IVR units. These state of the art IVR units can accept a combination of voice input and DTMF input, thereby providing users with several intuitive ways of interacting with an automated call access system.
Many legacy IVR units, which are still in service, lack the ability to process speech, and thus, are limited to processing only DTMF input signals. Presently, if an owner of a legacy IVR unit wishes to incorporate speech recognition functions to produce a more modern and intuitive application, the owner must purchase an upgraded IVR unit that is capable of performing speech recognition functions. Many computer system platforms upon which these legacy IVR systems operate, however, lack the required resources, or are incompatible with modern IVR units. In consequence, in addition to the expense of upgrading to a state of the art IVR unit, organizations may be faced with the added cost of upgrading an entire computer platform in support of a new IVR unit.